


Swan Song

by Nara



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Character's Name Spelled as Viktor, Communication, Fluff, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Post episode 10, Slight Canon Divergence, slight AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-24
Updated: 2019-01-24
Packaged: 2019-10-15 15:13:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17531138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nara/pseuds/Nara
Summary: The night before the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona, Yuuri proposed to Viktor, then revealed he didn't remember the Sochi banquet, the night that changed Viktor's life.Wondering, then, why Yuuri skated Stammi Vicino, if not to call out to him, Yuuri and Viktor have an emotional talk.





	Swan Song

**Author's Note:**

> As I was falling asleep the other night, I had the thought that Stammi Vicino could have been Yuuri's swan song and he could have retired quietly into the night, just a dime-a-dozen skater who crashed and burned and then disappeared from the international stage. But that's obviously not what happened.
> 
> This is a short story about that swan song.

Viktor leaned against the headrest of the bed in the hotel room, twisting his new ring around his finger. He listened to the muffled sounds of Yuuri singing in the shower behind the closed bathroom door. He gently pulled off the ring and held it up to the light, watching it gleam. Turning it this way and that, his breath caught as he noticed the engraved snowflake on the inside for the first time.

“Yuuri…” he murmured, putting the ring back on his finger. He was already getting used to the weight, and knew he would soon feel bereft whenever he needed to take it off.

Viktor thought back to earlier in the evening. The night out with Yuuri had been almost perfect, with the exception of the nuts incident, but at the end of it Yuuri had proposed! Viktor could swoon. Though Yuuri hadn’t actually used the words, “Will you marry me?” the sentiment was there. They should probably talk about it nonetheless. Viktor knew Yuuri was shy about his emotions…except when he declared them to the world. He really was a mess of contradictions. It was part of why Viktor had fallen so hard for the man so quickly. Suddenly frowning, Viktor thought back to what else he had learned that evening.

Yuuri didn’t remember the night of the Sochi banquet.

That was the first night that Viktor had been introduced to the enigma that was Yuuri Katsuki. The man who moved with a dancer’s grace and made music with his body, but flubbed his jumps and almost fell out of his spins at the critical moment. The man who walked away with his head hung low when offered a photo, but confidently challenged everyone to dance when he had a little alcohol. The man who was shy and reserved at times, almost fearful at others, who nonetheless commanded the attention of a ballroom and worked a pole like he belonged there. That same man who later declared his love for Viktor in front of the whole world at a press conference, and proposed in Barcelona on the steps of a cathedral.

Viktor wasn’t sure what to think. The night that almost singlehandedly changed the course of his life…Yuuri didn’t remember.

The bathroom door opened and Yuuri emerged, towel drying his hair and wearing his sweatpants low on his hips and no shirt. Viktor smiled softly before reaching towards Yuuri and making grabby hands. “Yuuuuu-ri! Come cuddle with me!”

Yuuri blushed, a beautiful thing that traveled down his chest and, _oh_ , Viktor would never get used to seeing that. He shyly made his way to the bed and sat down at the edge, hesitating. Viktor shook his head; that wouldn’t do. He grabbed Yuuri and pulled him into an embrace. Squawking, Yuuri resettled himself underneath Viktor’s arm and Viktor practically purred with contentment. After a moment of comfortable silence, Viktor cleared his throat.

“Yuuri…do you really not remember Sochi?”

Yuuri stiffened in Viktor’s arms but slowly shook his head. “No…I…I don’t. I only remember being miserable and drinking a lot. After that it’s a complete blackout. I’m sorry.”

Viktor kissed Yuuri’s hair. “No, love, don’t apologize. I must have looked like a crazy person, showing up to coach you when you didn’t even remember you asked!”

Yuuri shook his head again, “No, Viktor! It’s not your fault! I must have disappointed you so much, after being so affectionate at the banquet and then so cold to you when you arrived. You must have felt you didn’t even know who I was!”

Viktor laughed and hugged Yuuri tighter. “Never. I could never be disappointed in you. I’ll admit I was confused, and maybe a little hurt, but never disappointed. Even as you kept your distance, I could tell you wanted me there. I never questioned that.”

Burying his face in Viktor’s chest, Yuuri hid his smile, but Viktor could feel his lips turn up. In that moment, something else occurred to him.

“Yuuri, if you didn’t remember the banquet, why did you skate my program? I felt like you were reminding me that you were there, and waiting, after months of no contact. Not that we exchanged contact information…but we could have figured something out! I suppose I never put in the effort to contact you either…hmmm…” Viktor fell silent as he mused, not noticing Yuuri’s silence until he began to speak a moment later.

“You weren’t meant to see it.”

Viktor startled. “What?”

“Me skating your program. Stammi Vicino. It was never meant to be posted on the internet. I was only showing it to Yuuko.”

“Then why…?” Viktor trailed off, allowing Yuuri the space to continue at his own pace.

Yuuri took a moment before continuing. “I think I told you when you showed up that the triplets posted it. I don’t know why. But it went viral, and then you saw it. But I was skating it for me. I…Yuuko and I…we practically learned skating by imitating your programs. It was a comfort, this connection to you that you didn’t even know we had. But you were my goal and my idol. I dreamed of skating on the same ice as you, standing on the same podium as you, standing _above_ you on the podium. You know all this, of course. But for Stammi Vicino…it was to prove to myself that I could still skate. It was to find something that I loved again in skating. And that was you. Even before I knew you, my skating was so inextricably tied up in you. You must think that’s a little creepy and stalkerish…”

Viktor opened his mouth to protest, but Yuuri shook his head, shushing him. “No, Viktor. It is. I put you on a pedestal. But I didn’t _only_ skate for you. Skating Stammi Vicino was me proving to myself that I could still skate for me. I’m not sure if that makes sense, using your program to prove I wasn’t only skating for you, but that’s what it was. If I could still skate something beautiful, still enjoy my skating after my colossal fuck up…then maybe…maybe I would be okay. As far as I remembered, I messed up in front of you, I failed my family who I hadn’t seen in five years…I failed Vicchan, who had died without me around. And then you offered me that photo, like you didn’t even recognize me as a competitor.”

Yuuri chuckled bitterly and Viktor frowned, once again about to protest, but Yuuri silenced him again. “I know now that you were trying to comfort me, offer me something because you knew I was a fan. But it felt like an insult at the time. It was heartbreaking. In that moment, I didn’t love skating anymore. And I needed to get that love back. So I remembered – back to when Yuuko and I were learning, how much fun we had with your programs. How much love I felt for skating. And so I learned.”

Yuuri took a deep, shuddering breath. “It was supposed to be my swan song. The end of my career. A high note that only I knew, well, Yuuko knew too, but it was me. Skating for myself. I would go out quietly, but peacefully. I would help at the onsen and teach kids to skate at Ice Castle. And I would watch you skate and wonder what could have been. And I’m sure I would be sad, I _know_ I would be sad, but I could someday, maybe, be content with my decisions. As long as I made sure I still loved skating.”

Yuuri turned in Viktor’s embrace so he was looking into his eyes. “You gave me my love for skating back. And I could skate for myself. But it wasn’t the end. Because those triplets,” Yuuri shook his head fondly, “…because of Axel, Lutz, and Loop that last skate wasn’t my swan song. It was the beginning of a new chapter. And yeah, when you showed up, I was really confused, and kind of scared. But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

Yuuri reached up and wiped a tear from the corner of Viktor’s eye. Viktor hadn’t even realized he had started crying. “Yuuri, I really, really want to kiss you right now. May I?”

Blushing, Yuuri nodded. Viktor leaned down and captured Yuuri’s lips with his own, gently and lovingly. After breaking apart, Yuuri sighed happily and snuggled further into Viktor’s arms. Viktor cradled him closely.

“Yuuri, I just have one more question, if…if you don’t mind?”

“Hmmm?” Yuuri mumbled sleepily, already beginning to doze after his long confession. 

“Did you…did you mean to ask me to marry you on the cathedral steps? Or, was it a good luck charm, like you said? I know, I know I can jump the gun sometimes. Clearly. But did I read you right?”

Yuuri pulled back out of Viktor’s embrace and Viktor felt his heart sink. But then Yuuri sat up and cupped Viktor’s face in his hands.

“I know I wasn’t clear. Sometimes I can be…reticent. But Viktor. I love you. Let me ask you now. Will you marry me?”

Viktor practically collapsed into Yuuri’s arms, feeling tears falling down his cheeks. “Of course. Of course. Yuuri, yes. I love you. I love you so much.”

Yuuri held Viktor as he cried happy, relieved tears, then they snuggled down into the blankets. Both were emotionally exhausted, but they needed to get some sleep.

After all, the Grand Prix Final started tomorrow, and with the power of life and love, Yuuri knew he could win.

**Author's Note:**

> ...and then Yuuri came in second.
> 
> Either way, the GPF in Barcelona was a triumph for Viktor and Yuuri - and the beginning of the rest of their lives.
> 
> Thanks for reading~


End file.
